Shuttle lift for parking machine



Dec. 8, 1959 A. R. BIGLER 2,916,166

SHUTTLE LIFT FOR PARKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 15, 1955 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ALLEN R. EIGLER ATTORNEYS Dec. 8, 1959 A. R. BIGLER SHUTTLE LIFT FOR PARKING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 15, 1955 w m m m ALLEN R. BlGLER BY W M A TTOEWEVJ' A. R. Bl GLER SHUTTLE LIFT FOR PARKING MACHINE Dec. 8, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 15, 1955 INVENTOR. ALLEN R. BIGLER BY WWW MOE ATTORNEYS Dec. 8, 1959 A. R. BIGLER- SHUTTLE LIFT FOR PARKING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 15, 1955 INVENTOR. ALLEN R. BIGLER nromvsrs Dec. 8, 1959 A. R. BIGLER 2,915,166

SHUTTLE LIFT FOR PARKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 15, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTQEMEZY Dec. 8, 1959 A. R. BIGLER SHUTTLE LIFT FOR PARKING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 15, 1955 I v ATTORNEXS A. R. BIGLER 2,916,166

SHUTTLE LIFT FOR PARKING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Dec. 8, 1959 Filed Aug. 15, 1955 IN V EN TOR.

I m N ATTORNEK;

ALLEN R. BIGLER Q UE m2 SHUTTLE LIFT FOR PARKING MACHINE Ailen R. Bigler, Washougal, Wash.

Application August 15, 1955, Serial No. 528,314

Claims. (Cl. 21416.1)

The present invention relates to apparatus for transporting wheeled vehicles such as automobiles, and more particularly to a multi-tiered automotive parking facility and to apparatus for handling vehicles to be parked therein.

The even increasing number of passenger automotive vehicles has made it imperative that oif-street parking facilities be provided in congested areas. In many instances it is impractical to provide parking areas on surface lots because of the high land costs.

It is a general object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a multi-tiered parking facility capable of parking a large number of cars but utilizing only a relatively small surface area.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a parking facility having an open faced, tiered structure defining parking stalls and an elevator movable across the face of a building for elevating vehicles to be parked to the levels of and opposite the various stalls.

It is another object of the invention to provide a new and improved arrangement for effecting movement of the elevator back and forth across the face of said structure.

To minimize the handling time involved in moving the parked vehicles to and from the stalls and also to minimize the number of attendants required, it is desirable to have apparatus controllable from the elevator and capable of moving the vehicles to be parked between the elevator and the parking stalls. From the standpoint of safety, the transferring device should be capable of moving a vehicle with its brakes set, and to prevent theft and pilferage from the parked vehicles, it is desirable that an owner be permitted to lock the vehicle doors when he leaves the vehicle and to retain possession of the keys. Apparatus has been proposed for accomplishing certain of the above objectives but the apparatus proposed heretofore has not been entirely satisfactory, some being exceedingly expensive and others being so constructed as not infrequently to cause injury to the vehicle being transferred.

It is another general object of the invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved dolly for transferring vehicles from one location to another.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a vehicle transferring dolly adapted to transfer a vehicle between the elevator of a parking facility and a parking stall with the brakes of the vehicle locked. I

A more particular object of the invention is to provide a vehicle transferring dolly having means that engage and cradle the wheels of the vehicle to elevate the same free of its supporting surface without engaging any other part of the vehicle.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a parking dolly of the type described that is readily adjusted for use with vehicles of various length.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vehicle transferring dolly having wheel cradling means capable of engaging the dirigible wheels of a vehicle in various angular positions of such wheels.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent hereinafter.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, the parking facility of the invention comprises an open faced, tiered structure providing a plurality of stalls in which vehicles may be parked. An elevator is provided for moving cars between the various tiers and includes an elevated tower mounted to travel across the open face of the stall structure. A new and improved drive arrangement for the tower is provided wherein the moving force is applied substantially opposite the center of gravity of the tower, thus eliminating any tendency to sway the tower during its movement.

A dolly is provided for moving cars between the elevator platform and the parking stalls, the dolly having arms which are adapted to be extended to engage under the wheels to cradle the same. Means are provided on the dolly to lift the extended arms, thus to lift the car by its natural weight bearing elements so that the car may be elevated without any possibility of injuring the structural components of the vehicle. Traction means are provided for propelling the dolly to transport the vehicle from one location to another.

For a more detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description thereof.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the parking facility constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the elevator tower showing the arrangement for elevating the elevator cage and for moving the tower itself;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a leveling mechanism for leveling the platform of the elevator with the floor of the parking stalls, such leveling mechanism being mounted beneath the floor of the elevator platform which is shown in dotted outline to clarify the view of the mechanism;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a schematic plan view showing a stage in the sequence of the operation of the dolly for picking up a vehicle to be transported by the same.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing a further stage in the operation of a dolly;

Fig. 8 is another view similar to Fig. 6 showing still another stage of the operation of a dolly;

Fig. 9 is another view similar to Fig. 6 showing a further step in the operation of the dolly;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation showing a portion of a dolly adjacent the wheel of a vehicle to be elevated preparatory to elevating the wheel;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 showing the dolly and wheel in elevated position;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of one of the lift sections of the dolly of the invention showing the position of the various parts when the dolly is being moved beneath a vehicle to be parked;

Fig. 13 is a plan view of a lift section similar to Fig. 12 but showing the position of the parts of the lift section when a vehicle is supported on the same;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged side elevation of the lift section shown in Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 15-15 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 16 is a View taken substantially along line 16- 16 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary view of the lift section taken substantially along line 1717 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 18 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 1818 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 19 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 19-19 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken along line 20-29 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 21 is a sectional view taken along line 2121 of Fig. 20;

' Fig. 22 is a plan view of the reach of the dolly with the structure of the lift sections removed but with the outlines of the lift sections indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 23 is a fragmentary, sectional view of the reach taken along line 23-23 of Fig. 22; and

Fig. 24 is an enlarged sectional view of the reach taken along line 2424 of Fig. 22.

The parking facility of the invention as illustrated includes two opposed, open faced, tiered structures 10, 12 defining a plurality of parking stalls 14 having floors 16 upon which vehicles such as conventional passenger automobiles, indicated at 18, are deposited. The building structure has been simplified for purposes of illustration and it will be understood that the structure may be of any conventional construction. The facility is shown with five tiers but obviously a greater or lesser number of tiers might be employed. Also, it is immaterial whether the facility is of the above ground type wherein the cars are elevated from the entry way to the parking stalls, or that it is of the underground type wherein cars are lowered from a ground level entry way to stalls in a subterranean structure, or even that it is a hybrid having parking tiers spaced both above and below a ground level entry way.

The structures 10, 12 define a hatchway between them in which an elevator is provided including a tower 19 supported on flanged Wheels 24 which travel on rails 22 provided on the floor of a pit 24 at the bottom of the hatchway. The tower 19 comprises four outer corner columns 26 which, as shown in Fig. 2, slightly converge from the bottom to the top of the tower when the tower is viewed sidewise, that is, at right angles to the direction of movement thereof. Viewed endwise, as in Fig. 1, the tower columns 26 are vertical and parallel. The converging arrangement of the tower columns 26 provides the tower with a wide base in its direction of movement and a somewhat narrower top, thus stabilizing the tower against sway when it is moved across the faces of the structures 10, 12 in a manner to be described. Four inner, perpendicular corner columns or posts 28 are provided in the tower defining a guide way for an elevator cage 30.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2 but with particular reference to the schematic view in Fig. 3, the tower 19 is moved along the tracks 22 by propelling means including a cable 34 which is suitably anchored, as indicated at 36, to the building at one end of the hatchway and runs horizontally therefrom over a sheave 38 journaled on the corresponding side of the tower for rotation in a plane parallel to the direction of movement of the tower and at an elevation substantially opposite the center of gravity of the tower. From the sheave 38, the cable 34 passes down along the side of the tower and about a lower sheave 40 driven by a motor 42. The cable 34 passes from the sheave 4i) about an idler pulley or sheave 44 and back around the sheave 4t) and across the bottom of the tower to a sheave 46 on the opposite side of the tower, and thence upward and over a sheave '48 mounted opposite the sheave 38, the cable from there running horizontally to the corresponding end of the hatchway Where it is anchored as indicated at 49. Driving the motor 42 in an appropriate direction causes the tower to be pulled back and forth along the tracks 22. The pull on the tower is substantially at the center of gravity of the same, thus eliminating any tendency on the part of the tower to sway as occurs frequently in elevated towers when they are driven by a force applied adjacent either their bottom or their top.

The elevator cage 30 includes a platform 52 and a suspending framework 54 to which is attached an elevating cable 56 which runs to the top of the tower and over sheaves 58, 60, and thence downwardly to the bottom of the tower along the side thereof and about a drive sheave 62 powered by an elevating motor 63. From the sheave 62 the cable 56 is led upwardly to the top of the tower and over a sheave 64 from which it passes across the top of the tower to a sheave 65 mounted on the opposite side and thence downwardly to a counter-weight 66 to which the cable is secured. By driving the motor 63 in a selected direction, the elevator cage 30 maybe raised or lowered. As indicated best in Fig. 1, the sides of the elevator cage may be provided with screens 68 to protect personnel riding on the elevator though the ends of the elevator are open to permit passage of a vehicle on and off the platform. An operators control panel 69 is provided on the platform for controlling the elevator and other mechanism to be described.

To transfer or move the vehicles to be parked, the elevator is provided with a parking dolly 58 having means for engaging and cradling'the wheels of a vehicle to elevate the same so that the vehicle is supported solely by the dolly. The dolly is powered so that it may be run off platform 52 of the elevator and beneath the vehicle to be moved which is in the entry way or parking stall, the vehicle then being elevated by the dolly and transferred to the elevator on the dolly. The elevator is then moved to a position opposite the place the vehicle is to be deposited, the dolly is run off the platform, the vehicle deposited, and the dolly thereafter returned to the platform preparatory to moving another vehicle in similar fashion.

To facilitate movement of the dolly on and off the elevator platform 52, means are provided for leveling the elevator cage 30 with its platform substantially coplanar with the floor of a parking stall onto which or from which a vehicle is to be transferred. Mounted on each of the elevator posts 28 immediately beneath the level of each tier of the parking structure are pairs of vertically spaced wheels or rollers 70 suitably journaled in brackets 72. Bolts 74 are mounted on the under side of the elevator platform 52 adjacent each corner thereof and are provided with a tapered head 76 adapted to be forced into the bight of the rollers 70 when the platform is approximately level with the floor 16 of a parking stall to bring the platform into co-planar relationship with the floor. A toggle merchanism for actuating one pair of the bolts 74 is illustrated in Fig. 4 and includes a suitable motor such as a double acting, hydraulic motor including a cylinder 78 and a piston rod 80 to which is connected a pair of toggle arms 82 which in turn are connected to a pair of wrist plates 84 pivoted on the platform by suitable connections indicated at 86. Extending between the wrist plates 84 and the bolts 74 are connecting rods 88, the bolts being mounted for reciprocal movement in casings 89. As will be evident from Fig. 4, extension of the piston 80 from the cylinder 78 will cause the toggle mechanism to move the bolts 74 outwardly from the platform and into engagement between the opposed wheels 70. Reversing the action of the motor 78 will, of course, retract the bolts. A similar arrangement is provided for ejecting and retracting the bolts at the other two corners of the elevator platform. After the operator has positioned the elevator at the approximate level by means of the elevating motor 63, the motors 78 are actuated through suitable controls (not shown) to eject the bolts 74. If, for example, the elevator is slightly high, the upper face of the bolt heads will strike the under side of the uppermost Wheels 78 and the resulting camming action will force the elevator cage downwardly to level the platform with the floor 16. If the elevator is too low, the lower face of the heads 76 will engage the lowermost wheels 70 to forcethe cage up to the correct level. Obviously, the elevator must be positioned so that the head 76 will strike between the axes of the wheels 70 but this may be easily accomplished by the operator.

Construction and operation of the illustrated vehicle transferring dolly 50 of the invention may, perhaps, be best understood after it is first described in a general manner with particular reference to Figs. 6 through 9 in which the elevator platform is indicated at 52 and in which the front wheels of a vehicle to be transferred by the dolly are indicated at 90 and the rear wheels at 92. The dolly comprises a pair of substantially identical lift sections 100 which are connected by a reach 104 which is guided for longitudinal movement by rollers 106 mounted on the platform 52. For convenience of description, the lift sections in Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, and their respective parts will be designated with the suffixes a and b. The lift section 100a is movable longitudinally of the reach 104 between a forward stop 108 and a rear stop 110 provided on the reach. The lift section 10Gb is movable between a forwardstop 112 and a rearward stop 114, the lift sections having portions, to be subsequently identified, engaging such stops. The lift section 100a is adapted to be positioned between the front wheels 90 and the lift section 1001) between the rear wheels 92.

With particular reference for the moment to Fig. 9, the dolly is adapted to be run between the wheels of the vehicle to be transferred and carries arms 120, 122 mounted on the lift sections 100 and adapted to be extended to engage the under side of the wheel of the vehicle, that is, to engage the running surfaces of the Wheels below the axes thereof, the arms then being elevated to lift the vehicle by its wheels whereafter the dolly is moved to transport the vehicle to another location. When the vehicle reaches the desired location, it is lowered, arms 12%, 122 retracted, and the dolly withdrawn back onto the platform. Referring again to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the operation of the dolly will be described when it picks up a vehicle parked with its wheels as indicated at 90, 92. Each of the lift sections 100 is provided with a separate traction motor (to be described) and initially only the traction motor of the lift section 100a is powered to propel the dolly beneath the car. Before the lift section 100a proceeds beneath the front wheels 90, the wheel engaging arms 120a are extended so as to engage the near side of the wheels 90. The traction for the lift section 100a is arranged so that upon impingement of the arms 128a upon the wheels 90, movement of the lift section 100a ceases. When the arms 120a strike the wheels 90, the traction motor for the lift section 10Gb is started so as to propel the lift section 10017 towards the rear Wheels 92. At the same time, the other pair of lift arms 1220 of the lift section 100a are extended to engage the back side of the front wheels 90, and the arms 12612 of the lift section 10011 are extended so that they will engage the near side of the rear wheels 92 when the lift section 10012 moves therebetween. When the arms 12% strike the rear wheels 92, motion of the lift section 12011 is arrested and the opposite pairs of arms 1221) of the lift section 10% are extended to bring the same under the rear wheels 92. The side elevation of Fig. 10 illustrates the position of the arms 120, 122 in engagement with a wheel prior to lifting of a vehicle. After all the wheels of the vehicle are engaged by the lifting arms 120, 122, the same are elevated by suitable means to elevate the wheels of the vehicle clear of the ground, as shown in Fig. 11, whereby the weight of the vehicle supported is solely on the dolly which may then be moved back onto the elevator platform 52 and the elevator cage raised or lowered as desired to transfer the car to the desired location in the building structure. When that location is reached, the dolly is run out from the platform 52 and the arms 120, 122 lowered to deposit the vehicle upon its wheels. The arms 120, 122 of both lift sections are then retracted, and the dolly run back onto the platform and out from beneath the vehicle. Details of the mechanism by which these movements are accomplished will now be described in greater detail.

The reach 104 which serves to stabilize and coordinate the movements between the lift sections a, 10% of the dolly, comprises an elongate, upwardly facing, rigid channel member having inwardly turned side flanges defining gibs 130, as most clearly seen in Figs. 18 and 19. As shown in Figs. 22, 23 and 24, the stops 108, 110, 112, 114 are blocks protruding above the surface of the reach web. Extending longitudinally of the reach along the center of the web and between each pair of stops 108, 110, 112, 114 are raised, rectangular guide strips 132, the purpose of which will be made clear hereinafter. The reach is supported by rollers 134 adjacent each of its opposite ends and by a wheeled outrigger 136 at its center, as shown most clearly in Figs. 22, 23 and 24. The opposite ends of the reach 104 are tapered as shown in Fig. 22 to facilitate entry of the reach between the guide rollers 106.

Since both lift sections 100a, 1001) of a dolly are substantially identical, only one of these lift sections has been illustrated in the detailed views thereof, namely Figs. 12 to 21, inclusive. Referring now to those views, a lift section 100 includes a frame including opposite, generally flat side members 150, 152 and end members 154, 156, and two intermediate transverse members 158, 160 extending between the side members 150, 152. As has been indicated hereinbefore, each lift section is pro vided with two pairs of opposing arms 120, 122 adapted to engage under and cradle the opposing wheels of a vehicle. The mounting of the arms 122 on the lift section 100 is substantially the same and therefore the mounting of only one of the arms 120 will be described and is illustrated in detail in the drawings. As most clearly shown in Figs. 18 and 19, the transverse member 158 is bowed with its central portion raised and its opposite end portions spaced beneath and extending below the side members 150, 152. The transverse member 158 is secured to the respective side members 150, 152 by inverted L-shaped angle pieces, 162, having a horizontal web abutting against and welded or brazed to the respective side member or 152 and a vertical web extending downwardly along the inner edge of the side member, the lower edge of the vertical web being welded or brazed to the transverse member 158, as most clearly shown in Figs. 18, 19 and 20. The arms 120 are hinged on kingpins 164 having a head 165 inset in a recess in the respective side members 150, 152 and engaging against the horizontal web of the angle plate 162 therebeneath. As shown in Figs. 14 and 21, the kingpins 164 are set at a slight angle as viewed from the side of the lift sections, but are perpendicular as viewed from the end of the lift section, as is most clear in Fig. 20. The lower end of the kingpins 164 engage in tapped openings provided therefor in the transverse member 158. Bearings 16% having bearing surfaces normal to the axis of the kingpins 164 are provided to support the lift arms 120 as they swing between their extended and retracted positions. This inclination of the kingpins causes the arms to raise relative to the ground as they are retracted whereby to provide greater clearance when the dolly is not carrying a vehicle, and to lower as they are extended so as to engage the running surface of the vehicle wheel closely adjacent the ground permitting the arms to be spaced closely together, thus facilitating handling of vehicles with Wheels of small diameter. For operating the arms 120, there is provided a double acting hydraulic motor including a cylinder and a piston 172, the cylinder 170 being pivotally connected to the frame end members by suitable means indicated at 171. The piston 172 is connected to one end of a trammel plate 174 by pivot pin 176, the trammel plate being pivotally connected at its center to the transverse member 158 by a pin 178,

Lever arms 180 extend between the ends of the trammel plate 174 and the opposite arms 120. When the motor is operated to extend the piston 172, the arms 120 are actuated to extended position, as shownmost clearly in Fig. 13. Preferably, the connection to the trammel plate 174 is such that in the extended position of the arms the trammel plate is in an over-center position and the piston 172 engages the end of the motor cylinder 170 as shown in Fig. 13, whereby any load tending to spread the arms 120 automatically locks the arms in position so that no work is required by the motor to hold the arms extended. To retract the arms 126 to their retracted position beneath the side members 151), 152, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 12, the operation of motor 171 172 is reversed.

To operate the arms 122, a very similar arrangement isprovided including a motor cylinder 1% pivotally anchored to the end member 156 as indicated at 192, the motor having a piston rod 194 pivotally connected to one end of a trammel plate 196, which in turn is pivotally mounted upon the transverse member 166 by a suitable pin indicated at 198. Connecting arms 202 and 204 are provided between the ends of the trammel plate 196 and the lift arms 122. Suitable operation of the motor 1% effects extension or retraction of the lift arms 122 in like manner to the extension or retraction of the arms 120.

The load carried by a lift section is supported on a pair of wheels 2111 positioned one on each side of the reach 104, one beneath each of the side members 151 152 which have openings 211 to admit the wheels when the frame is in its lowered position. The wheels 210 are fixed to the opposite ends of an axle shaft 212 which is journaled in bearings 214 provided on a slide 216 adapted to slide in the reach gibs 130. With reference to Figs. 12, 13 and 19, the slide 216 includes fingers 217 which extend into the opposite gibs and is formed with a slot 219 slidably receiving the guide strip 132 which keeps the slide aligned in the reach and prevents any binding of the slide and reach. As indicated in Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, the slide 216 of a lift section is also adapted to engage the corresponding reach stop 110 or 114 to limit the movement of the lift section relative to the reach.

Means are provided for elevating the lift section frame relative to the wheels 210 and will now be described with reference to Figs. 12, 13, 15, 16 and 17. Extending transversely of the lift section in closely spaced relation with the axle 212 is a torsion shaft 220 journaled in bearings 222 provided on the side members 156, 152. Fixed to the torsion shaft 220 near its opposite ends is a pair of bell cranks 224, each having one arm 226 journaled to the axle shaft 212. A hydraulic motor including a cylinder 228 pivotally mounted in a frame bracket 229 is provided for operating each bell crank and is connected to the other arm 23%) thereof by a push rod 232. The lowered position of the lift section and the position of the motor 228 and bell cranks 224 therein is indicated in Fig. 15, while the raised position of the lift section is indicated in Fig. 16. It will be observed that to raise a lift section, the push rods 232 of the motors are extended from the motor cylinders 228 causing the bell cranks 224 to revolve about the torsion shaft 222 and effect the lowering of the axle shaft 212 and the wheels 210 relative to the lift section frame, thus causing the lift section frame to elevate. The effect of elevating a lift section is to elevate the vehicle wheels engaged by the lift arms of the same as will be apparent from Figs. and 11, wherein Fig. 10 shows the position of the lift arms 121i, 122 in engagement with a vehicle wheel prior to lifting the same and Fig. 11 shows the position of the lift section after elevation showing how the vehicle wheel has been elevated above the level of the surface upon which the lift section is supported. With reference to Fig. 11, it will be noted that in the elevated position of 8 a lift section, the axes of the vehicle wheels and the lift section wheels 210 are vertically aligned, which is, of course, desirable to stabilize the mechanism.

A leveling mechanism is provided for retaining the lift section level in its raised or lowered position and is best shown in Figs. 12, 13, 15 and 16. Essentially, this mechanism includes a leveling plate or slide 240 engaging in the reach gibs and positioned substantially beneath the end member 156 of the lift section, and a parallel linkage arrangement between the two guides and the frame of the lift section. This linkage includes a link 242 extending between the slides 216, 240 to retain them in fixedly spaced relation. Pivotally connected at one end to the slide 240 is an elevating lever 244 having a length substantially equal to the length of the bell crank arm 226, the opposite end of the lever 244 being fixed to a shaft 246 journaled in suitable bearings 248 beneath the end member 156. The lever 244 is fixed to the shaft 246 so as to rotate therewith, the shaft carrying a crank arm 250 to the end of which is connected a push rod 252 which is in turn fixed to a crank arm 254 fixed to torsion shaft 220 so that any rotation of the torsion shaft 220 is transmitted to the shaft 246. As indicated in Fig. 16, the lever 244 remains in parallelism with the bell crank arm 226 to maintain the frame of the lift section level as it is raised and lowered. Similarly to the slide 216, the slide 241) is formed with fingers 241 that engage in the reach gibs 130 and is formed with a slot slidably receiving the guide strip 132. The slides 240 are adapted to engage the reach stops 108 or 112 to limit movement between the reach and corresponding lift section.

The wheels 210 also serve as traction means for the lift sections 100 and a motor such as an electric motor 258 may be provided to drive the axle shaft 212 through suitable gearing (not shown) in a gear box 259. The motor 258 is mounted by means of pins 261 between a pair of slide members 263 secured to the lift section frame whereby the motor may shift to adjust its position relative to the axle 212 as the lift section frame is raised or lowered.

Preferably, each of the lift sections 100 of a dolly is provided with a closed circuit hydraulic system including a pump indicated at 260 for operating the motors 170, and 228. Energy for the pump motors and for the traction motors 258 is supplied through an electrical cable 262 stored on a reel 265 beneath the elevator platform from which it is payed out as the dolly moves off the plat form, to be reeled in again as the dolly returns. The leads for the control system are also led to the dolly through the cable 262 or may be connected by any other suitable arrangement. The cable 262 is led to a conduit box 264 to which it is connected by a knuckle joint 266.

Obviously, various automatic or semi-automatic control arrangements might be utilized to obtain the sequence of operation described hereinbefore in connection with Figs. 6 through 9, and since the design of a suitable control arrangement is well within the ability of one skilled in the art no specific system has been shown.

Referring again to Figs. 6 to 9 and to Fig. 16, a distinct advantage of the dolly construction described is that the dolly automatically adjusts itself to the length of the vehicle to be moved. For example, when the dolly moves out from the platform 52 to pick up a vehicle with only the drive motor 258 of the lift section 100a powered, the lift section 100a will move along the reach 104 until the slide 240a engages the stop 108 to push the reach toward the lift section 10%. When the stop 114 engages the slide 216b of lift section 10015, the latter section will also be pushed along and under the vehicle to be picked up and moved. It will be observed that this action in effect telescopes the dolly to its shortest length. Preferably, the reach stops 108, 114 are positioned on the reach such that the dolly may be telescoped to accommodate the dolly to vehicles of shortest length likely to be encountered. After the arms 120a engage the vehicle wheels 90, the dolly automatically is lengthened, if necessary, to position the lift section 10Gb between the rear wheels 92. For example, in the diagrammatic illustration, after the arms 120a engage the front wheels 90, the arms 122a and 12011 are extended and the lift section 10012 driven toward the rear wheels. The lift section 10Gb will move relative to the reach 104 until the slide 24% engages the stop 112 whereafter the reach will be pulled along until the arms 12% strike the wheels 2 at which time the lift section 10% will be stopped, the arms 122b extended and the vehicle picked up. In Figs. 6 to 9, the wheels 90, 92 are shown as spaced the maximum distance and the stop 110 is in engagement with the slide 2161) of lift section 10%. Thus, the length of the reach between the stops 110, 112 is preferably such that the lift sections 100a, 10% may spread and the dolly in effect extended to accommodate vehicles of the greatest length likely to be encountered.

The sequence of operation for picking up a vehicle parked on the opposite side of the platform 52 is similar but reversed. The motor of the lift section 10% would drive the dolly off the platform and the arms 122b would be the first extended, followed by extension of arms 12% and 122a, and finally of arms 120a.

It will be noted that the arms 12.0, 122 are arcuately curved towards each other, and with reference to Figs. 10 and ll, are beveled on their sides engaging the tires. The purpose of the bevel is, of course, to provide a relatively flat, large surface for engaging the tires. The curvature of the arms is to facilitate engagement of the arms with the dirigible wheels of the vehicle in the event they may not be aligned with the vehicle but turned at an angle, as indicated by dotted lines, for example, in Fig. 13. This is greatly advantageous in a parking facility since they must often be installed where the approach space is limited and the vehicle cannot be driven in a straight line into the approach landing but must be brought in on a curve. Frequently, the vehicle operator will leave the vehicle with the wheels turned and the curved arms make it possible to pick up the vehicle and transfer the same to the parking space without first requiring an operator to straighten the wheels of the vehicle.

As indicated in Figs. 6 to 9, the dolly is adapted to pick up vehicles that are substantially in alignment with the dolly. Occasionally, a vehicle may be positioned in the entry way slightly out of alignment. In that case, the dolly is run off the platform just far enough to position the lift section 1%!) between the front vehicle wheels 90. The arms 126b, 1221) are then extended and the lift section 10Gb elevated to raise the front wheels clear of the surface of the entry way. The front end of the vehicle is then shifted to bring the vehicle into the desired alignment by shifting the tower 19 in the desired direction. The platform guide rollers 106 engage the reach 104, of course, to cause the dolly to shift with the tower.

Having illustrated and described a preferred embdiment of the invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention permits of modification in arrangement and detail. I claim as my invention all such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A dolly for transporting wheeled vehicles comprising a pair of lift sections for positioning one between the rear wheels and the other between the front wheels of a vehicle, wheel engaging members on each of said lift sections for engaging the under side of the vehicle wheels opposite the corresponding lift sections, means for elevating said wheel engaging members to elevate a vehicle above the supporting surface, elongate reach means extending between saidlift sections, traction means on each of said lift sections for propelling the sections independently of one another, and meansconnecting said lift sections to said reach for limited movement longitudinally 10 of the reach whereby said lift sections may be moved together or apart as required by the length of the vehicle to be transported by the dolly.

2. A dolly for transporting over a flat surface wheeled vehicles having a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels, said dolly comprising a pair of lift sections adapted one to be positioned between the rear wheels and the other between the front wheels of a vehicle, a pair of wheel engaging members mounted on each side of each of said lift sections for engaging the under side of each of the wheels fore and aft thereof at a point above said surface, means on said lift sections for elevating said wheel engaging members to elevate a vehicle, a reach extending between said lift sections, means connecting said reach to said lift sections for coordinating the relative movement between the lift sections but allowing limited movement between said lift sections in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle to permit adjustment of the dolly for vehicles of various length, and traction means on each of said lift sections for propelling the sections independently of one another in a direction longitudinally with respect to said reach.

3. In a vehicle parking facility including a tiered structure defining floored stalls in which vehicles may be parked and an elevator structure having a platform arranged to .travel between the tiers, a dolly for transferring vehicles between said platform and said stalls, said dolly being adapted to be run beneath a vehicle to be transferred and including a pair of lift sections one to be positioned between the front wheels and the other the rear wheels of such vehicle, wheel engaging members on each of said lift sections for engaging the under side of the vehicle wheels opposite the same, individual traction means on each of said lift sections for supporting and propelling the same over the elevator platform and the floor of a parking stall, said traction means of each lift section being operable independently of the traction means of the other lift section, means for elevating said wheel engaging members relative to said traction means to elevate a vehicle for movement by said dolly, a reach connected to and extending between said lift sections comprising an elongate rigid member adapted to extend longitudinally of a vehicle to be moved, said lift sections being movable longitudinally with respect to said reach, and guide means on said platform for engaging said reach and retaining the same in alignment during movement of said dolly.

4. In a dolly for transporting wheeled vehicles, a frame adapted to be positioned adjacent the side of a wheel of a vehicle, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said frame on the side thereof adjacent said wheel and adapted to be extended therefrom in substantially parallel, wheel cradling relation and to be swung apart to a retracted, substantially aligned wheel clearing position, said arms being mounted for swinging movement about axes converging upwardly as viewed from said side of said frame and coincident as viewed from the end of said frame whereby said arms are raised relative to said frame when retracted and lowered when extended.

5. In a dolly of the class described, a generally horizontal elongate frame, a reach member positioned beneath said frame and extending longitudinally thereof, said reach having means for supporting the same on a supporting surface, an axle extending transversely of said reach between said frame and said reach and substantially medially of the opposite ends of said frame, means on said reach journaling said axle on said reach, a pair of wheels mounted on the opposite ends of said axle for supporting said frame for movement over said surface, a torsion shaft journaled in said frame in axially parallel relationship to said axle, a bell crank fixedly secured at its elbow to said torsion shaft and journaled to said axle at the end of one of its arms, motor means connected to the other of the arms of said bell crank for pivoting the same and said torsion shaft about the axis of the latter to efiect raising and lowering of said wheels relative to said frame respectively to lower or raise the latter relative to said surface, and means to maintain said frame level in its raised and lowered positions including a leveling shaft journaled on said frame adjacent one end thereof in parallelism to said torsion shaft, linkage means connecting said torsion shaft to said leveling shaft to cause the latter to rotate with the former, a spacing arm of the length of said one bell crank arm fixed at one end to said leveling shaft for rotation therewith from a horizontal to a vertical position as said wheels are lowered relative to said frame, a leveling plate mounted on said reach and fixed thereto against vertical movement, said spacing arm being pivotally connected at its other end to said leveling plate whereby said frame will be maintained level during raising and lowering thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 363,718 Auquin May 24, 1887 12 Gordon Aug. 23, Lightner et al. Mar, 21, Dinkelberg May 11, Young Aug. 4, Watson Mar. 28, Balkema et al. June 12, Turner et a1. Aug. 18, Bowser June 13, Olson Feb. 24, Alimanestiano Aug. 4, Newsom et a1 Dec. 13, Overlach et al July 30,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 28, Great Britain Oct. 3, Germany Nov. 27, 

